If you’re like me, you enjoy the holiday season and look forward to it as soon as September rolls around and the days start to get shorter. Chances are, you’ve also perfected your holiday season prep work, usually buying presents before December even begins and building up a hefty inventory of cookies and cakes in your freezer to be whipped out at a moment’s notice for holiday parties or (and more often than not) personal consumption while making your way through Netflix’s holiday romcoms.
It’s usually around this time that you remember to mail out your holiday cards, a tradition that is both thoughtful and terrifying. The holiday season is the perfect time of year to remind your friends and loved ones how much they mean to you, sending them a card is a sweet, personal way to do just that – in theory. In reality, writing out messages for holiday cards is a lot harder than it looks. As a self-proclaimed holiday expert, coming up with the right thing to write in a holiday card has evaded even me. That is, until I sat down one afternoon recently and wrote out a few key phrases and messages which I’ll be using in my cards this year and I hope can serve as inspiration for your cards this coming holiday season too.
The “Short and Sweet” Message
“Sending you warm wishes, lots of love, and the hope of a happy New Year this holiday season.”
To be totally truthful, I try to make all of my messages short and sweet in holiday cards. Sometimes, the cards themselves have prewritten messages so there isn’t always room to write more than a few lines. With that being said, this message is the shortest, it gets right to the point but doesn’t appear any less thoughtful than a longer message. I typically use a message like this for people I don’t know very well yet because it’s kind without being too over the top. It’s perfect for coworkers, neighbours and classmates or new friends that you’re just getting to know. Â
The “Heartfelt” Message
“I hope this holiday season sparkles with even more joy and laughter than you’ve brought to our friendship. Here’s to a bright and wonderful new year ahead and the memories we’ll make along the way!” or “I’m so grateful for the wonderful memories we’ve shared. There’s no place like home for the holidays, you make home so warm and my heart so full. Wishing you all the love, happiness, and comfort this season can bring.”
I’d recommend either of these for close friends, family or significant others. These messages tell the recipient that you cherish them and value their presence in your life, who wouldn’t want to hear that? It’s the perfect balance of thoughtful and brief which as the writer you’ll be glad for because you’re able to get your feelings across without going on and on. For the reader, it makes them feel special and cared for – exactly what the holidays are all about.Â
The “Classic” Message
“Wishing you a holiday season that’s merry and bright. May this Christmas bring peace, joy, and happiness to your home and the new year bring you laughter and good fortune.”
This one is personalized for the sake of the example, but you can definitely substitute “Christmas” for any other holiday. I call this one the classic because it uses the buzzwords that are typically used over the holiday period: peace, joy and happiness. Using those words all together is like the holiday trifecta and makes for a simple but thoughtful message for any card.Â
The “Merry and Bright” Message
“I hope the magic of the season fills you with love and joy as bright as the twinkling lights on your Christmas tree! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!”
This message is a good substitute for the “Short and Sweet” message. You can even mix and match some of the phrases within both of these shorter messages to create a new one! The “Merry and Bright” message much like the “Classic” message gives off a distinctly holiday feel, words like “magic” and “twinkling lights” also touch on a bit of nostalgia, reminding the reader of their childhood days when the holiday season truly seemed magical. In my opinion, this one is a great one to use for cards where you might know people have kids, it’s got festive cheer that’s lighthearted and fun which the kiddos will appreciate.Â
The “Cozy and Festive” Message
“May your holiday season be as relaxing and joyful as a night spent drinking hot chocolate wrapped in a warm blanket. I hope this time is full of things that make you smile and warm your heart.”
You can never go wrong with conjuring up a cozy and relaxing image during this time of year. Everything during the holidays seems to move on hyperdrive and people are usually full of such stress, a message like this might remind them to take time for themselves and that’s a gift in and of itself!
The holidays are about reminding the people who mean the most to us just how truly special they are. Coming up with the right words to say, especially in a card can be tricky, but I hope that this list of messages gives you the inspo you need to write your holiday cards. And with 37 days until Christmas let me be the first to ho-ho-hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a fantastic new year!